Christmas tree pickup

Not sure what you’re going to do with your Christmas tree at the end of the year? The city of Austin wants you to know that you can just set it outside! From the press release: “Beginning Dec. 26, 2017, Austin Resource Recovery will pick up all real trees, along with yard trimmings, on regularly scheduled collection days. All trees for curbside collection that are six feet or taller must be cut in half. Please set your tree at the curb by 6:30 a.m. The collected trees and yard trimmings are then composted or turned into Dillo Dirt.” If you don’t have curbside collection service, you can take your tree down to the Zilker Park Polo Fields between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Dec. 30, Dec. 31, Jan. 6 and Jan. 7. To ensure easy recycling of your tree, make sure to remove all ornaments, lights, and the tree stand, and do not put it in a bag. Synthetic trees, and those sprayed with artificial snow, will not be accepted. As a bonus, the mulch made from trees collected the Zilker drop-off will be given away for free, first-come, first-served, on Jan. 18. View more information about Austin’s Christmas tree recycling initiative here.